 | Ioseph |  |
43
THE FOVRTH BOOKE OF Ioseph.
Now
Iacobs tents abound with such great store
Of corne, which they had wanted heretofore;
As if God had heau'n's windows opened,
And to his chosen thence had rained bread:
Which he as lib'rally participates,
Vnto his Neighbours and Confederates
Of whom then taking leaue, soone as he might,
He to Bersheba iourneyed that night,
Full twenty miles; where freed from heathen eyes,
He to his God might offer sacrifice,
And saith thus to his sonnes: this is the place,
Where the Egyptian Agar first found grace,
When as Gods Angell made her see the well
Which sau'd the life of her and Ishmael.
Here let vs vp to God an Altar reare
For sacrifice: that God which did appeare
To Abraham and Isaacke, also may
To vs appeare as well vpon our way,
And in our Iourney vs direct aright:
Then in a Dreame and Vision of the night,
When sleepe his bodyes senses seized all,
God to his Soule doth Iacob, Iacob, call.
I am the God vnto thy fathers knowne,
Then feare not into Egypt to go downe,
For I will goe with thee, and make thee there
A mighty people: Therefore do not feare,
But they shall come againe: And Iosephs hand
Shall close thine eyes in the Egyptian land.
Of corne, which they had wanted heretofore;
As if God had heau'n's windows opened,
And to his chosen thence had rained bread:
Which he as lib'rally participates,
Vnto his Neighbours and Confederates
Of whom then taking leaue, soone as he might,
He to Bersheba iourneyed that night,
Full twenty miles; where freed from heathen eyes,
He to his God might offer sacrifice,
And saith thus to his sonnes: this is the place,
Where the Egyptian Agar first found grace,
When as Gods Angell made her see the well
Which sau'd the life of her and Ishmael.
Here let vs vp to God an Altar reare
For sacrifice: that God which did appeare
To Abraham and Isaacke, also may
To vs appeare as well vpon our way,
And in our Iourney vs direct aright:
Then in a Dreame and Vision of the night,
When sleepe his bodyes senses seized all,
God to his Soule doth Iacob, Iacob, call.
44
Then feare not into Egypt to go downe,
For I will goe with thee, and make thee there
A mighty people: Therefore do not feare,
But they shall come againe: And Iosephs hand
Shall close thine eyes in the Egyptian land.
Then early from Bersheba all arose,
And in the Waggons all themselues dispose,
(Sixty seu'n which with Ioseph and his sonnes
Before in Egypt iust to seu'nty comes)
Leauing the high montanous craggy hills
Of Pharan, neare th' Arabian rocky shells
Vpon their left hand; bend downe, on the right
To that which the Egyptian sea is hight,
Where a plaine way from thence to Egypt guides
Ore Sihor, which from Canaan it diuides
By South, as great Euphrates doth diuide
Chalde, by North, from Canaans fruitfull side.
Here Iacob, who doth all occasions take,
Gods promise certaine to his sonnes to make,
Thus tells them: By this Riuer's is bordered
The land God promised to Abrams seede;
From this Egyptian Riuer, all the lands
Are giu'n vs, eu'n to great Euphrates sands.
A King of Iudahs seed one day shall raigne
Ore all from Sibor, to the riuer maine;
Sibor on South, shall border Iudahs side,
Euphrates, Dan: so sure as God did guide
Ioseph to Egypt to prouide vs graine,
He to this land will bring vs backe againe:
Then by this Prouerbe men shall vnderstand,
From Dan vnto Bersheba all the land.
Oh how can you incredible this deeme?
Who haue in Egypt, Iosephs glory seene;
That harder was then this to bring to passe:
This promisd, but that neuer hoped was,
And in the Waggons all themselues dispose,
(Sixty seu'n which with Ioseph and his sonnes
Before in Egypt iust to seu'nty comes)
Leauing the high montanous craggy hills
Of Pharan, neare th' Arabian rocky shells
Vpon their left hand; bend downe, on the right
To that which the Egyptian sea is hight,
Where a plaine way from thence to Egypt guides
Ore Sihor, which from Canaan it diuides
By South, as great Euphrates doth diuide
Chalde, by North, from Canaans fruitfull side.
Here Iacob, who doth all occasions take,
Gods promise certaine to his sonnes to make,
Thus tells them: By this Riuer's is bordered
The land God promised to Abrams seede;
From this Egyptian Riuer, all the lands
Are giu'n vs, eu'n to great Euphrates sands.
A King of Iudahs seed one day shall raigne
Ore all from Sibor, to the riuer maine;
Sibor on South, shall border Iudahs side,
Euphrates, Dan: so sure as God did guide
Ioseph to Egypt to prouide vs graine,
He to this land will bring vs backe againe:
Then by this Prouerbe men shall vnderstand,
From Dan vnto Bersheba all the land.
Oh how can you incredible this deeme?
Who haue in Egypt, Iosephs glory seene;
45
This promisd, but that neuer hoped was,
Then, fording Sibor, they through Kedar past,
A countrey barren, sauage, wild and wast,
Call'd so of Kedar, sonne of Ishmael:
Here Iacob eke occasion seekes to tell
Of Gods great goodnesse, them a land to giue,
Not fruitlesse, barren, where the dwellers liue,
As here, of Couin, Rapine, Theft and spoile,
But a most pleasant and well watered soyle,
Where plenty both of corne and wine do grow,
A land which doth with Milke and Honey flow.
Besides, what cause haue we our God to praise,
Who vs conducts throgh these most dangerous waies,
Amidst these Robbers, without feare or dread,
As late he at Bersheba promised.
There was a cittie, built of costly matter
A goodly outside, but it wanted water,
Like to a lampe, that shineth faire and bright,
But wants the Oyle, that should maintaine the light:
Or like some outside gallants complement,
That lacks minds inward grace and ornament.
A countrey barren, sauage, wild and wast,
Call'd so of Kedar, sonne of Ishmael:
Here Iacob eke occasion seekes to tell
Of Gods great goodnesse, them a land to giue,
Not fruitlesse, barren, where the dwellers liue,
As here, of Couin, Rapine, Theft and spoile,
But a most pleasant and well watered soyle,
Where plenty both of corne and wine do grow,
A land which doth with Milke and Honey flow.
Besides, what cause haue we our God to praise,
Who vs conducts throgh these most dangerous waies,
Amidst these Robbers, without feare or dread,
As late he at Bersheba promised.
There was a cittie, built of costly matter
A goodly outside, but it wanted water,
Like to a lampe, that shineth faire and bright,
But wants the Oyle, that should maintaine the light:
Or like some outside gallants complement,
That lacks minds inward grace and ornament.
From Kedar passing towards Casius mount,
They vp vnto a goodly citty mount,
Where stood a goodly temple dedicate,
To Iupiter, thence Casius nominate:
Not that huge mount which doth in Syria lie,
Which one reports to be neare foure miles high,
This citty eu'n on Egypts border stands,
And is the vtmost of the Hagarian lands.
Here Iacob grieues at the abhomination
Of his neare kindred, and his neighbour nation
His vnckle Jshmael, who with him came
By Hagar, from the loynes of Abraham,
And in his flesh receiu'd the Circumcision,
But falne to foulest heathenish superstition.
Oh my deare sonnes! beware; I speake to all,
How you to foule Idolatry doe fall,
Leauing that God, which made the heau'ns alone,
To worship Idoles made of wood and stone;
And, by religion of mans vaine deuising,
Adore Moone, Planets, Starres, Fire and Sun-rising.
How are we bound, aboue all other nations,
To blesse God for our often preseruations!
But most for that God vs hath giu'n his light,
And chosen vs to worship him aright,
This Idole, whom these heathen Casius name,
With Hammon Jupiter's the very same,
In Canaan worshipt; eu'n that cursed Cham,
From whence the Cananites receiue their name,
Whom holy Noah in malitious pride,
As Ishmael good Isaacke, did deride.
They vp vnto a goodly citty mount,
Where stood a goodly temple dedicate,
To Iupiter, thence Casius nominate:
Not that huge mount which doth in Syria lie,
Which one reports to be neare foure miles high,
This citty eu'n on Egypts border stands,
And is the vtmost of the Hagarian lands.
Here Iacob grieues at the abhomination
Of his neare kindred, and his neighbour nation
His vnckle Jshmael, who with him came
By Hagar, from the loynes of Abraham,
46
But falne to foulest heathenish superstition.
Oh my deare sonnes! beware; I speake to all,
How you to foule Idolatry doe fall,
Leauing that God, which made the heau'ns alone,
To worship Idoles made of wood and stone;
And, by religion of mans vaine deuising,
Adore Moone, Planets, Starres, Fire and Sun-rising.
How are we bound, aboue all other nations,
To blesse God for our often preseruations!
But most for that God vs hath giu'n his light,
And chosen vs to worship him aright,
This Idole, whom these heathen Casius name,
With Hammon Jupiter's the very same,
In Canaan worshipt; eu'n that cursed Cham,
From whence the Cananites receiue their name,
Whom holy Noah in malitious pride,
As Ishmael good Isaacke, did deride.
Now fiue times had Auroras tresses bright
Chased a way the shadowes of the night,
Since Iacob came from Hebron with his traine,
And now was iournying on his way againe
To Egypt, when thus Ruben doth begin,
That place where we last lodged, is the In,
Where Gad his money in his sacke did finde,
When he for Prouender did it vnbinde,
Lo there before vs is the fruitfull downe
Of Goshen; there aboue is Ram'sis towne:
Not one more pleasant, spacious, fruitfull plaine
For pasture is in all the would againe;
There Pharohs pleasure is, that we shall keepe
Our Camels, Asses, all our flockes and sheepe:
Not ten miles thence are those two citties great,
Which Pharoh houlds for his Imperiall Seate.
The one call'd On, Egypt's Metropolis,
The other Memphis, whose large circuit is
By measure seuenteene miles and more about,
But On is three miles larger out of doubt;
One with three thousand paces measure may,
Betwixt these two huge citties, the midway,
There's Iosephs country house, whence to the court
He at his ease and pleasure may resort.
Whether the King lye at his Memphian Bowers,
Or in his stately Ons more princely Towers:
If God shall guide vs on our Iourney right,
Thou mayst see yet thy Iosephs face ere night.
Then Iacob sends out Iudah, from that place
To Ioseph, rightly to direct the face
Of Iacob, and of all his sonnes and traine,
And hasten backe to bring him word againe.
Chased a way the shadowes of the night,
Since Iacob came from Hebron with his traine,
And now was iournying on his way againe
To Egypt, when thus Ruben doth begin,
That place where we last lodged, is the In,
Where Gad his money in his sacke did finde,
When he for Prouender did it vnbinde,
Lo there before vs is the fruitfull downe
Of Goshen; there aboue is Ram'sis towne:
Not one more pleasant, spacious, fruitfull plaine
For pasture is in all the would againe;
There Pharohs pleasure is, that we shall keepe
Our Camels, Asses, all our flockes and sheepe:
Not ten miles thence are those two citties great,
Which Pharoh houlds for his Imperiall Seate.
47
The other Memphis, whose large circuit is
By measure seuenteene miles and more about,
But On is three miles larger out of doubt;
One with three thousand paces measure may,
Betwixt these two huge citties, the midway,
There's Iosephs country house, whence to the court
He at his ease and pleasure may resort.
Whether the King lye at his Memphian Bowers,
Or in his stately Ons more princely Towers:
If God shall guide vs on our Iourney right,
Thou mayst see yet thy Iosephs face ere night.
Then Iacob sends out Iudah, from that place
To Ioseph, rightly to direct the face
Of Iacob, and of all his sonnes and traine,
And hasten backe to bring him word againe.
Then Ioseph takes his Chariot for to meete,
His aged father, and him duely greete:
As when good Iacob at Mahanaim met
Gods host, in order like an Army set,
When Esau threatned his last ouerthrow,
So doth the glory of these worthies show,
When they do both in Goshens plaine appeare,
And each vnto the other draweth neare:
Ioseph begins to welcome his great Sire,
And Iacob Iosephs glory doth admire,
And but they Idol-worship both abhorred,
They one another surely had adored.
As when this Iacob after twenty yeares
With Laban spent, to Isaacke ould appeares,
They each in other wondrously delight,
So do these Worthyes two in mutuall sight,
Ioseph forgets his honour and his state,
And weepes on Iacobs necke, eu'n as he sate,
And Israel forgets he was his sonne,
And as did Ioseph, would to him haue done.
Clouds may, not Muses can expresse their teares,
So long forbearance mutually endeares
Them each to other: but old Israel
To Ioseph saith, since I may with thee dwell,
And see thee in such great prosperitie,
Lo! willingly I am content to die.
So haue I seene a faire and tender Lambe,
Purloynd by wicked hand from louing Dam,
Long mist, at last, when both do meete againe,
With louing Bleatings fill both hills and plaine.
Yea so th' old man with ioy was extaside,
It wanted little but he there had dide,
But pious Ioseph, with great care and paine,
By chafing brought him to himselfe againe.
Both being then in Ioseph's Chariot plast,
Jacob begins thus with Gods fauours past:
His aged father, and him duely greete:
As when good Iacob at Mahanaim met
Gods host, in order like an Army set,
When Esau threatned his last ouerthrow,
So doth the glory of these worthies show,
When they do both in Goshens plaine appeare,
And each vnto the other draweth neare:
Ioseph begins to welcome his great Sire,
And Iacob Iosephs glory doth admire,
And but they Idol-worship both abhorred,
They one another surely had adored.
As when this Iacob after twenty yeares
With Laban spent, to Isaacke ould appeares,
They each in other wondrously delight,
So do these Worthyes two in mutuall sight,
Ioseph forgets his honour and his state,
And weepes on Iacobs necke, eu'n as he sate,
48
And as did Ioseph, would to him haue done.
Clouds may, not Muses can expresse their teares,
So long forbearance mutually endeares
Them each to other: but old Israel
To Ioseph saith, since I may with thee dwell,
And see thee in such great prosperitie,
Lo! willingly I am content to die.
So haue I seene a faire and tender Lambe,
Purloynd by wicked hand from louing Dam,
Long mist, at last, when both do meete againe,
With louing Bleatings fill both hills and plaine.
Yea so th' old man with ioy was extaside,
It wanted little but he there had dide,
But pious Ioseph, with great care and paine,
By chafing brought him to himselfe againe.
Both being then in Ioseph's Chariot plast,
Jacob begins thus with Gods fauours past:
Many all done by Chance and Fortune deeme,
And little of Gods Prouidence esteeme,
I wish such would in all my life obserue,
How all mens actions here Gods purpose serue:
It was not Chance made Esau set at nought
His birthright, for a messe of Potage bought:
Nor the deuise alone of my deare mother,
That got my fathers Blessing from my brother;
For's anger kindled thus, it forth me driues
To Laban, where I children get and wiues.
'Twas Labans churlishnesse and auarice
Inrich'd me, by a new and strange deuice,
Colours before his yeaning Ewes to spread,
Which made white sheepe bring Lambs discoulered,
These he to me for wages did allow,
And suddenly they to a number grow.
The murmuring of Labans sonnes constraine
Me with my household to hast home againe,
Whom Laban followes with an angry hart,
But God vs made good friends before we part.
Lo! Esaus feare at Peniel by night
Brought me to wrestle with the Lord of might;
Whose blessing so away his fury chases,
He turnes his threates to kisses and embraces.
Simeon and Leui, cruell instruments,
From Sichem made me to remoue my tents
To Bethel; where my house of Idolls clear'd
I vp an Altar to th' Almightie reard;
And payd my Tenth as I to him did sweare,
When first from Esau's wrath I fled for feare,
And saw a Ladder, which from Earth did tend
To heau'n, whereby the Angels did descend:
Now last thy brethrens enuy spite and hate,
By selling thee, haue sau'd my life and state;
For but for thee, we all had perished,
Amongst the Cananites for want of Bread.
That God causd all these things, it is most cleare,
For in the most he did to me appeare,
As late when I to Egypt should descend,
Thus all doth on Gods Prouidence depend.
And little of Gods Prouidence esteeme,
I wish such would in all my life obserue,
How all mens actions here Gods purpose serue:
It was not Chance made Esau set at nought
His birthright, for a messe of Potage bought:
Nor the deuise alone of my deare mother,
That got my fathers Blessing from my brother;
For's anger kindled thus, it forth me driues
To Laban, where I children get and wiues.
'Twas Labans churlishnesse and auarice
Inrich'd me, by a new and strange deuice,
Colours before his yeaning Ewes to spread,
Which made white sheepe bring Lambs discoulered,
These he to me for wages did allow,
And suddenly they to a number grow.
49
Me with my household to hast home againe,
Whom Laban followes with an angry hart,
But God vs made good friends before we part.
Lo! Esaus feare at Peniel by night
Brought me to wrestle with the Lord of might;
Whose blessing so away his fury chases,
He turnes his threates to kisses and embraces.
Simeon and Leui, cruell instruments,
From Sichem made me to remoue my tents
To Bethel; where my house of Idolls clear'd
I vp an Altar to th' Almightie reard;
And payd my Tenth as I to him did sweare,
When first from Esau's wrath I fled for feare,
And saw a Ladder, which from Earth did tend
To heau'n, whereby the Angels did descend:
Now last thy brethrens enuy spite and hate,
By selling thee, haue sau'd my life and state;
For but for thee, we all had perished,
Amongst the Cananites for want of Bread.
That God causd all these things, it is most cleare,
For in the most he did to me appeare,
As late when I to Egypt should descend,
Thus all doth on Gods Prouidence depend.
Long did I thee as dead lament and plaine,
And neuer hop'd to see my sonne againe,
And so did Isaack thy deare Gransire grieue,
But neuer would, that thou wer't dead, beleeue,
In God he was so confident and bold,
And in the dreames, which thou before hadst told,
As if, though blind, he had foreseene this day,
But now in heauenly Ioyes he liues for ay.
Some ten yeares since, him dying in his bed,
I and my brother Esau buried.
Oh! my deare sonne, my soule is much delighted,
As to relate, eu'n so to heare recited
Gods goodnesse, towards his; therefore vnfould
How God preseru'd thee since thy brethren sold
Thee to the Ishmaelites: for thrice seu'n yeare
Are past, since I least newes of thee did heare:
Good Iacob had no sooner made an end,
But Ioseph was as as ready to commend
Gods care and Goodnesse in his preseruation,
From all his troubles: in this next narration.
And neuer hop'd to see my sonne againe,
And so did Isaack thy deare Gransire grieue,
But neuer would, that thou wer't dead, beleeue,
In God he was so confident and bold,
And in the dreames, which thou before hadst told,
As if, though blind, he had foreseene this day,
But now in heauenly Ioyes he liues for ay.
Some ten yeares since, him dying in his bed,
I and my brother Esau buried.
50
As to relate, eu'n so to heare recited
Gods goodnesse, towards his; therefore vnfould
How God preseru'd thee since thy brethren sold
Thee to the Ishmaelites: for thrice seu'n yeare
Are past, since I least newes of thee did heare:
Good Iacob had no sooner made an end,
But Ioseph was as as ready to commend
Gods care and Goodnesse in his preseruation,
From all his troubles: in this next narration.
I know not whether, by their fault or Fate,
It oft befalleth great men in the state,
Rich, wise and happy in their Princes grace,
Comely in body, beautifull in face,
To be conioyned to a wanton wife,
Which sowreth all the sweetnesse of their life:
This was the fault or Fortune of a Peare
Of Pharohs, to the King his Master deare;
My master Potiphar, who, as I weene,
Had in his youth a skilfull Merchant beene,
And Stewarded so frugally his owne,
That Pharoh wise, to whom all this was knowne,
Mad him chiefe steward; they that can hold fast
Their owne, their Masters treasure seldome wast.
He that did by experience vnderstand,
How things are hoist vp, bought at second hand,
Hearing that Merchants stor'd with spicery,
Were come to towne, goes his owne selfe to buy
The King his masters, and his owne prouision,
“Thrift stands not on nice court-like superstition.
Amongst some other wares then to be sold,
A faire young Hebrew lad, he doth behold,
Adorn'd and set out in the fairest guise,
As horses to be sold at higher prize.
A price once pitchd, and I by running tride,
As some do horses, ere they buy them, ride,
Was sold to Potiphar, who for his table
Me bought, as we our horses for our stable.
It oft befalleth great men in the state,
Rich, wise and happy in their Princes grace,
Comely in body, beautifull in face,
To be conioyned to a wanton wife,
Which sowreth all the sweetnesse of their life:
This was the fault or Fortune of a Peare
Of Pharohs, to the King his Master deare;
My master Potiphar, who, as I weene,
Had in his youth a skilfull Merchant beene,
And Stewarded so frugally his owne,
That Pharoh wise, to whom all this was knowne,
Mad him chiefe steward; they that can hold fast
Their owne, their Masters treasure seldome wast.
He that did by experience vnderstand,
How things are hoist vp, bought at second hand,
Hearing that Merchants stor'd with spicery,
Were come to towne, goes his owne selfe to buy
The King his masters, and his owne prouision,
“Thrift stands not on nice court-like superstition.
Amongst some other wares then to be sold,
A faire young Hebrew lad, he doth behold,
Adorn'd and set out in the fairest guise,
As horses to be sold at higher prize.
5
As some do horses, ere they buy them, ride,
Was sold to Potiphar, who for his table
Me bought, as we our horses for our stable.
I of this change was most exceeding glad,
For now I ease for paine and trauell had,
For hard fare, Good; but as a gratefull minde,
Returnes ay thankes, where Benefits they finde,
So did I my good Lords munificence
Requite with Industry and diligence:
And for I found he pleasd my Master best,
That pleasd my Mistresse well; aboue the rest,
I to obserue her was most diligent,
And all means vsde to giue her best content:
So that by Prudence more then taking paine,
I both their Loues and Fauours sought to gaine.
For who so will obserue, shall euer find
Best way to please, is to obserue the mind
And the affection of men of state,
And thereunto themselues accommodate:
Therefore a blisse on good men to attend,
But misery on wicked to depend,
Both prou'd by me, who, for my seruice true,
Was by my Lord preferd to honour due,
And for like seruice to my wicked dame,
Was brought to prison, obloguy and shame.
For now I ease for paine and trauell had,
For hard fare, Good; but as a gratefull minde,
Returnes ay thankes, where Benefits they finde,
So did I my good Lords munificence
Requite with Industry and diligence:
And for I found he pleasd my Master best,
That pleasd my Mistresse well; aboue the rest,
I to obserue her was most diligent,
And all means vsde to giue her best content:
So that by Prudence more then taking paine,
I both their Loues and Fauours sought to gaine.
For who so will obserue, shall euer find
Best way to please, is to obserue the mind
And the affection of men of state,
And thereunto themselues accommodate:
Therefore a blisse on good men to attend,
But misery on wicked to depend,
Both prou'd by me, who, for my seruice true,
Was by my Lord preferd to honour due,
And for like seruice to my wicked dame,
Was brought to prison, obloguy and shame.
This my faire Mistresse, (for no other name
I giue her willing, ay to hide her shame,)
Some meane mechaniques daughter seemes to be,
First matcht in her owne order and degree,
But raisd to wealth and honour from the dust,
Thinks all to little for her Pride and Lust:
And as a man that stands on steeple high,
His equals erst doth now like Crowes descry,
So she now clambred vp on honours Spire,
Thinkes all to low her greatnesse to admire.
Soone might I in her scornfull lookes descry
Her haughtinesse, and my base slauery,
But bearing then an honest gentle minde,
Omit no seruice that may fauour finde,
Which so succeedes, that ere the Crescent bright
Had fild her hornes with brothers borrowed light,
I by my diligence of her did gaine
Sweet smiling lookes, in stead of proud disdaine.
I giue her willing, ay to hide her shame,)
Some meane mechaniques daughter seemes to be,
First matcht in her owne order and degree,
But raisd to wealth and honour from the dust,
Thinks all to little for her Pride and Lust:
And as a man that stands on steeple high,
His equals erst doth now like Crowes descry,
52
Thinkes all to low her greatnesse to admire.
Soone might I in her scornfull lookes descry
Her haughtinesse, and my base slauery,
But bearing then an honest gentle minde,
Omit no seruice that may fauour finde,
Which so succeedes, that ere the Crescent bright
Had fild her hornes with brothers borrowed light,
I by my diligence of her did gaine
Sweet smiling lookes, in stead of proud disdaine.
And now the enuious spirit, which sought of late
To ruine by my Fathers loue, my state,
Me by my Mistresse lust seekes to intrappe,
And dandle in vile sinfull pleasures lappe.
Damnd sparke of hell! Base counterfet of loue,
And those pure warming flames from heau'n aboue,
Which so true louers hearts in one vnite,
That they enioy, without offence, delight:
Therefore true loue, like morne is faire and bright;
Lust like an Ympe begot of blackest night;
But later' dayes, since Rapines did abound,
Do Lust and Loue most wickedly confound,
This baser Lustfull Loue the Spirit did chuse
(As he did first the Serpent to abuse
The weaker Eue) this proudest dame to traine
To tast the fruit forbidden by deaths paine,
And kindling in her eyes first lustfull fire,
This Sense presents it with her soule desire
To Reasons brighter eye, which soone that flame
Makes to returne into her cheekes, with shame.
Reason with this base Passion striued long,
Put one weake, as the other groweth strong:
But nought so checks her Pride and courage braue,
As stooping to an hated Hebrew slaue:
That she who now did sit in highest grace,
Should thus her honour great and state debase,
As to become a vassall to her slaue,
Pride many womens chastities doth saue.
But now the violence of lustfull flame
Had sear'd the Reason of th' Egyptian Dame,
Who waiting till her Lord to Court was gone,
Thus, smiling, set vpon me all alone.
To ruine by my Fathers loue, my state,
Me by my Mistresse lust seekes to intrappe,
And dandle in vile sinfull pleasures lappe.
Damnd sparke of hell! Base counterfet of loue,
And those pure warming flames from heau'n aboue,
Which so true louers hearts in one vnite,
That they enioy, without offence, delight:
Therefore true loue, like morne is faire and bright;
Lust like an Ympe begot of blackest night;
But later' dayes, since Rapines did abound,
Do Lust and Loue most wickedly confound,
This baser Lustfull Loue the Spirit did chuse
(As he did first the Serpent to abuse
The weaker Eue) this proudest dame to traine
To tast the fruit forbidden by deaths paine,
And kindling in her eyes first lustfull fire,
This Sense presents it with her soule desire
To Reasons brighter eye, which soone that flame
Makes to returne into her cheekes, with shame.
Reason with this base Passion striued long,
Put one weake, as the other groweth strong:
But nought so checks her Pride and courage braue,
As stooping to an hated Hebrew slaue:
53
Should thus her honour great and state debase,
As to become a vassall to her slaue,
Pride many womens chastities doth saue.
But now the violence of lustfull flame
Had sear'd the Reason of th' Egyptian Dame,
Who waiting till her Lord to Court was gone,
Thus, smiling, set vpon me all alone.
Faire Hebrews sonne, whose equall neuer I
Yet saw, nor do I thinke Sols searching eye
In all his trauels from the East to West,
A Beautie sees with thine fit to contest,
Not that hereby I vnderprize mine owne,
Mine no Superiour, Thine hath neuer knowne
An equall, and though Fates vs vp did reare
In sundry Climates, yet since now appeare,
In one Horison, Sunnes so equall bright,
Let's each on other shine with mutuall light,
Let thy bright Beames vpon my Beautie shine,
I on thee will reflect both thine and mine:
Deare seruant, do not thou my grace despise,
Thee I alone can make to honour rise,
Thou seest how Potiphar alone doth stand
In Pharohs grace, and rules both Court and Land.
To the I loue, I dare be bold to say,
I Potiphar, the Court and Kingdome sway:
See then thy happinesse, a slaue of late,
In me to rule all Egypts glorious state;
And if the Fates vs send a lucky heire,
Which may like to his Parents seeme most faire,
All hearts he by thy Beautie shall command,
And by my right inherit all our land:
Sweet Ioseph, let not frownings cloud thy face,
Soure lookes thy glorious Beautie do disgrace.
Let's take th' occasion now we are alone,
As Bodyes so our soules to ioyne in one.
So may we with good likelyhood suppose
Bright Phebus with faire Cynthia to close,
When ioyning for their mutuall delight,
They seeme eclipsed to the vulgars sight.
Yet saw, nor do I thinke Sols searching eye
In all his trauels from the East to West,
A Beautie sees with thine fit to contest,
Not that hereby I vnderprize mine owne,
Mine no Superiour, Thine hath neuer knowne
An equall, and though Fates vs vp did reare
In sundry Climates, yet since now appeare,
In one Horison, Sunnes so equall bright,
Let's each on other shine with mutuall light,
Let thy bright Beames vpon my Beautie shine,
I on thee will reflect both thine and mine:
Deare seruant, do not thou my grace despise,
Thee I alone can make to honour rise,
Thou seest how Potiphar alone doth stand
In Pharohs grace, and rules both Court and Land.
To the I loue, I dare be bold to say,
I Potiphar, the Court and Kingdome sway:
See then thy happinesse, a slaue of late,
In me to rule all Egypts glorious state;
And if the Fates vs send a lucky heire,
Which may like to his Parents seeme most faire,
All hearts he by thy Beautie shall command,
And by my right inherit all our land:
Sweet Ioseph, let not frownings cloud thy face,
Soure lookes thy glorious Beautie do disgrace.
54
As Bodyes so our soules to ioyne in one.
So may we with good likelyhood suppose
Bright Phebus with faire Cynthia to close,
When ioyning for their mutuall delight,
They seeme eclipsed to the vulgars sight.
As when some lustfull Prince alone, vnseene,
Doth tempt the faithfull handmaid of his queene,
To win her to his will and wicked lust,
The modest maid considring well the trust
Of her great Dame; whom if she so offended,
She iustly were of God and man condemned,
Prayes and intreates his awfull maiestie
Her not to force to such iniquitie,
And breake the sacred Lawes (for lustfull rage)
Of faithfull trust and holy marriage;
So I poore wretch, whose fresh and youthfull chin
Fine softest downe, to shadow did begin,
Strangely amaz'd, and grieu'd at this foule fact,
Abhorring eu'n the offer as the act:
Yet with all due respect and reuerence,
Did shew my duty and obedience:
And thus replide: deare Mistresse, you shall find
Me ready ay, to satisfie your mind,
In all, where I may iustly you obay,
And not my heauenly Masters will gainsay.
My master all commits vnto my hand,
Nor knoweth he, how his owne state doth stand,
No man is greater in his house then I,
Nor doth he to my custody denie
Ought but thy selfe; because thou art his wife,
His onely comfort, deare delight, and life:
How can I to this sinne then condescend,
And not against my fathers God offend?
Doth tempt the faithfull handmaid of his queene,
To win her to his will and wicked lust,
The modest maid considring well the trust
Of her great Dame; whom if she so offended,
She iustly were of God and man condemned,
Prayes and intreates his awfull maiestie
Her not to force to such iniquitie,
And breake the sacred Lawes (for lustfull rage)
Of faithfull trust and holy marriage;
So I poore wretch, whose fresh and youthfull chin
Fine softest downe, to shadow did begin,
Strangely amaz'd, and grieu'd at this foule fact,
Abhorring eu'n the offer as the act:
Yet with all due respect and reuerence,
Did shew my duty and obedience:
And thus replide: deare Mistresse, you shall find
Me ready ay, to satisfie your mind,
In all, where I may iustly you obay,
And not my heauenly Masters will gainsay.
My master all commits vnto my hand,
Nor knoweth he, how his owne state doth stand,
No man is greater in his house then I,
Nor doth he to my custody denie
Ought but thy selfe; because thou art his wife,
His onely comfort, deare delight, and life:
How can I to this sinne then condescend,
And not against my fathers God offend?
55
The simple rude, saith she, a sinne it call,
But here at Court, 'tis no offence at all;
Those that are most seuere against this vice,
Delight it most, Oh 'tis a deepe deuice
Of Polititians, to make a law,
To hold their children, wiues and fooles in aw,
When they, then keepe it, nothing lesse intend,
But at their pleasures diuersly offend:
I know not one braue spirit in Pharohs Court,
That this esteems of other then a sport,
And yet their faire yong lusty able wiues
Must, like reclused virgins, leade their liues;
For my part I haue learned this by kind,
Such measure as men meete vs, they shall find:
Then blushing she doth Teares like Pearles distill,
For she had teares and Blushes at her will.
But here at Court, 'tis no offence at all;
Those that are most seuere against this vice,
Delight it most, Oh 'tis a deepe deuice
Of Polititians, to make a law,
To hold their children, wiues and fooles in aw,
When they, then keepe it, nothing lesse intend,
But at their pleasures diuersly offend:
I know not one braue spirit in Pharohs Court,
That this esteems of other then a sport,
And yet their faire yong lusty able wiues
Must, like reclused virgins, leade their liues;
For my part I haue learned this by kind,
Such measure as men meete vs, they shall find:
Then blushing she doth Teares like Pearles distill,
For she had teares and Blushes at her will.
But I replide, good Madame, be content,
I cannot to your arguments consent:
To proue from Greatnesse, lawfulnesse to euill,
Is for to draw a Paterne from the Deuill,
Who is the greatest worldly Potentate,
Yet no excuse 'tis him to imitate:
For great mens faults they are vnsearch'd, vnkowne
To me; I haue enough to mend my owne:
They that seuerely iudge sinne, yet delight
Therein, they iudge themselues, and yet iudge right:
And who do thus Gods iudgements iust abuse,
Must neuer hope, that greatnesse shall excuse,
Will you, because men wrong your sexe, offend,
Your Maker? God such wickednesse defend,
Embrace true chastitie of flesh and mind,
Which honours men and graceth womankind.
I cannot to your arguments consent:
To proue from Greatnesse, lawfulnesse to euill,
Is for to draw a Paterne from the Deuill,
Who is the greatest worldly Potentate,
Yet no excuse 'tis him to imitate:
For great mens faults they are vnsearch'd, vnkowne
To me; I haue enough to mend my owne:
They that seuerely iudge sinne, yet delight
Therein, they iudge themselues, and yet iudge right:
And who do thus Gods iudgements iust abuse,
Must neuer hope, that greatnesse shall excuse,
Will you, because men wrong your sexe, offend,
Your Maker? God such wickednesse defend,
Embrace true chastitie of flesh and mind,
Which honours men and graceth womankind.
But notwithstanding she, from day to day,
Me wooes, yet would I not her voyce obay,
But shun'd, by all good meanes, her company,
Till one day she occasion did espy,
I being in my closet all alone,
And in the house not of the houshold one:
Then all inrag'd with Fury heate and Lust,
Like hungry Hawke that hath a Partridge trust,
She on my garment ceasde immodestly
And cride, come fleepe with me. or else I die.
Me wooes, yet would I not her voyce obay,
56
Till one day she occasion did espy,
I being in my closet all alone,
And in the house not of the houshold one:
Then all inrag'd with Fury heate and Lust,
Like hungry Hawke that hath a Partridge trust,
She on my garment ceasde immodestly
And cride, come fleepe with me. or else I die.
Not Rachels losse, my Brethrens rage, nor yet
The feare of Famine lying in the pit,
Nor Midians bondage did me so perplexe,
As now this womans furious Lust doth vexe,
Who as the cruell Serpent's said to wind
About the noble Elephant by kind;
So winds this wicked monster, womans shame,
About me to my sorrow and her blame
What shall I fly? she me too fast doth hold,
Shall I cry out? for shame be it not told
A manlike heart did for a woman cry,
Oh who can but bewayle my misery!
Should I but now to dalliance consent,
Me followes honour, pleasure, worlds content,
But if that I this offerd grace reiect,
Bondage, disgrace, a prison I expect,
But fearing more diuine reuenging hand,
Then racke, disgrace, imprisonment or band,
Taking more pleasure in a conscience sound,
Then all wealth, honours, ioyes she did propound,
Acquite my body, though I left behind
My garment, and out of the rome doe winde:
So haue I seene some modest country maid,
With some vnciuill vsage much dismaid,
Closely her Aprons strings, to escape, vntie,
And left it with the clowne, away to flie.
The feare of Famine lying in the pit,
Nor Midians bondage did me so perplexe,
As now this womans furious Lust doth vexe,
Who as the cruell Serpent's said to wind
About the noble Elephant by kind;
So winds this wicked monster, womans shame,
About me to my sorrow and her blame
What shall I fly? she me too fast doth hold,
Shall I cry out? for shame be it not told
A manlike heart did for a woman cry,
Oh who can but bewayle my misery!
Should I but now to dalliance consent,
Me followes honour, pleasure, worlds content,
But if that I this offerd grace reiect,
Bondage, disgrace, a prison I expect,
But fearing more diuine reuenging hand,
Then racke, disgrace, imprisonment or band,
Taking more pleasure in a conscience sound,
Then all wealth, honours, ioyes she did propound,
Acquite my body, though I left behind
My garment, and out of the rome doe winde:
So haue I seene some modest country maid,
With some vnciuill vsage much dismaid,
Closely her Aprons strings, to escape, vntie,
And left it with the clowne, away to flie.
57
Who can the Leopards fell rage display,
Chasing a Pilgrim fast vpon the way,
And laying on his Cloke her cruell pawes,
Eu'n ready to deuoure him in her Iawes,
Who strucke with sudden terrour and affright,
Forsakes his Cloake and scapes by winged flight,
May tell the rage of this most cruell Dame,
Who now hath nothing left, but spight and shame:
Then raging, that her Beautie which she priz'd
Aboue all others, should be so despis'd,
Shee cals her Seruants in, and to them told,
How that base Hebrew slaue was growne so bold,
And proud of hers, and her deare husbands grace,
That now he did aspire into his place;
And would haue slept with her, had she not cride,
All which his garment left here testifide,
Which vp vntill her Lords returne, she laid,
Then with my Coate her malice she displaid;
For which my Lord, me into Prison cast,
My daies in paine and miserie to waste;
Thus lightly crediting the accusation,
And his false Wifes most guilefull simulation,
He by his rashnesse lost a seruant iust,
And still maintaines a strumpets Pride and Lust.
Chasing a Pilgrim fast vpon the way,
And laying on his Cloke her cruell pawes,
Eu'n ready to deuoure him in her Iawes,
Who strucke with sudden terrour and affright,
Forsakes his Cloake and scapes by winged flight,
May tell the rage of this most cruell Dame,
Who now hath nothing left, but spight and shame:
Then raging, that her Beautie which she priz'd
Aboue all others, should be so despis'd,
Shee cals her Seruants in, and to them told,
How that base Hebrew slaue was growne so bold,
And proud of hers, and her deare husbands grace,
That now he did aspire into his place;
And would haue slept with her, had she not cride,
All which his garment left here testifide,
Which vp vntill her Lords returne, she laid,
Then with my Coate her malice she displaid;
For which my Lord, me into Prison cast,
My daies in paine and miserie to waste;
Thus lightly crediting the accusation,
And his false Wifes most guilefull simulation,
He by his rashnesse lost a seruant iust,
And still maintaines a strumpets Pride and Lust.
But as a six-squar'd Dye, or carued stone,
How euer cast, stands still vpright, all one,
So was I constant in Aduersitie,
As resolute in my prosperitie:
That God which me had erst deliuered
From Brethrens Fury, and me honored
In time of my vniust captiuitie,
Me leaues not now in this Calamitie,
How euer cast, stands still vpright, all one,
So was I constant in Aduersitie,
As resolute in my prosperitie:
That God which me had erst deliuered
From Brethrens Fury, and me honored
In time of my vniust captiuitie,
Me leaues not now in this Calamitie,
Oh happy they! whose Conscience them acquite,
That heere they suffer wrong for doing right,
So but a while Gods leisure they attend,
They sure shall haue a good and happy end:
Let Tyrants rage, they God as gentle, kind,
In Prison, as in Paradise doe finde:
Wherefore though I was of my Coate bereft,
My masters Grace, and Fauour, and now left
In stinking dungeon, yet I felt no harme,
God gaue me power my Iailours hands to charme;
And sent me in the Prison-Keepers sight,
Fauour and grace for Potiphars despight.
For now that former diligence, which gain'd
Mee fauour with my Lord, like trust obtain'd
Mee in the Prison, so that to my care,
Lo all the Prisoners committed are:
The Keeper lookes to nought vnder his hand,
God euer prospers all I did command.
That heere they suffer wrong for doing right,
58
They sure shall haue a good and happy end:
Let Tyrants rage, they God as gentle, kind,
In Prison, as in Paradise doe finde:
Wherefore though I was of my Coate bereft,
My masters Grace, and Fauour, and now left
In stinking dungeon, yet I felt no harme,
God gaue me power my Iailours hands to charme;
And sent me in the Prison-Keepers sight,
Fauour and grace for Potiphars despight.
For now that former diligence, which gain'd
Mee fauour with my Lord, like trust obtain'd
Mee in the Prison, so that to my care,
Lo all the Prisoners committed are:
The Keeper lookes to nought vnder his hand,
God euer prospers all I did command.
About this season, as it oft befals,
Great Fauorites in Court haue suddaine falls,
By their owne faults, or others accusation,
Or by their Lords dislike and alteration
Of Fauorites: Two Lords of high regard
In Pharohs Court, committed are to warde:
The Keeper these doth to my trust commend,
That I with diligence should them attend:
These wanton Courtiers which had formerly
Liu'd all in plentie, ease, and Iollitie,
Acknowledging nor seruing other God
Then Pharoh, and now chast'ned with his rod;
As without soules this change of Fortune beare,
But I by all meanes sought my charge to cheare,
And told them, if indeed they guiltlesse were,
The iustest King of Heau'n would finde them cleere;
And if they had through frailtie him offended,
So they their sinnes confessed and amended,
Hee eu'n as willing was them to forgiue,
As they in's Grace and fauour here to liue:
How earthly Kings our bodies might enchaine,
But still our soules in Freedome did remaine:
With many such good words I sought to please
My charge, who found therein no little ease,
And grew lesse heauy; till both in one night
Had seuerall Dreams, which did them much affright,
Which soone as I had heard, I right aread,
And as I told, so all things followed.
Great Fauorites in Court haue suddaine falls,
By their owne faults, or others accusation,
Or by their Lords dislike and alteration
Of Fauorites: Two Lords of high regard
In Pharohs Court, committed are to warde:
The Keeper these doth to my trust commend,
That I with diligence should them attend:
These wanton Courtiers which had formerly
Liu'd all in plentie, ease, and Iollitie,
Acknowledging nor seruing other God
Then Pharoh, and now chast'ned with his rod;
As without soules this change of Fortune beare,
But I by all meanes sought my charge to cheare,
And told them, if indeed they guiltlesse were,
The iustest King of Heau'n would finde them cleere;
And if they had through frailtie him offended,
So they their sinnes confessed and amended,
59
As they in's Grace and fauour here to liue:
How earthly Kings our bodies might enchaine,
But still our soules in Freedome did remaine:
With many such good words I sought to please
My charge, who found therein no little ease,
And grew lesse heauy; till both in one night
Had seuerall Dreams, which did them much affright,
Which soone as I had heard, I right aread,
And as I told, so all things followed.
Such Visions are not like Dreames naturall,
Which ordinary vs in sleepe befall:
They in our Soules deeper impressions leaue,
Then such as commonly the Sense deceiue;
Which in the Fantasie worst reuell keepe,
When Common-sense the Master is a sleepe;
And doe th' Imagination vaine delight
Sometime with hope, sometime with Feare affright,
Working most on th' affections of the minde,
When Sleepe the Bodies senses fastest binde,
For eu'n in Sleepe, Griefe, Ioy, Feare, Hope, Hate, Loue,
The soules affections wake, and liuely moue.
God often by such Visions tels men plaine,
What things they ought to doe, and what refraine,
Sometimes by Dreames to them are promised
Great Blessings, and great curses threatened:
God oft thus shewes one his determination,
And giues another the interpretation,
Thus vnto me two Dreames by night he told,
Which, as they proue, my Grand-sire did vnfold,
Thus Pharohs Seruants first, and next their King
See things to come, But the interpreting
Was giu'n to me, which done, I told them plaine,
Jnterpreting to God as Dreames pertaine:
And now who thinkes, but that I thought it long
Yet two yeares to abide in Prison strong?
After I had so well interpreted
His dreame, whom now the King so honored,
But hauing learn'd with Patience to attend
Gods leasure, and to hope vnto the end,
Eu'n at that time, when as I least expected,
So long of Pharohs Cup-bearer neglected,
He that doth all things heere by weight and measure,
On whom they all attend to doe his pleasure,
By one poore Dreame but from an heathen King,
What's long before decreed to passe doth bring:
I rais'd to Grace, the World from Famine quite,
The Butler doth acknowledge his ore-sight:
South sayers weakenesse is discouered,
And God is all in all acknowledged,
My Brethren bold are to Repentance brought
For all the wickednesse, which they had wrought:
And this my wicked Mistris may reclame,
And bring her to acknowledgement with shame,
And make my master see his foolish passion,
And learne to Iudge by better information:
My two first Dreames proue true which I had told,
My Fathers spirit reuiu'd now being old:
Pharoh thus gaines the wealth of all his Land,
And must acknowledge it from Gods owne hand,
Thus all the parts of this sweet sacred story,
Are for mans good, but end all with Gods glory,
All these are now the Consequence and Theames
Of mine, of Pharohs and his seruants Dreames.
Which ordinary vs in sleepe befall:
They in our Soules deeper impressions leaue,
Then such as commonly the Sense deceiue;
Which in the Fantasie worst reuell keepe,
When Common-sense the Master is a sleepe;
And doe th' Imagination vaine delight
Sometime with hope, sometime with Feare affright,
Working most on th' affections of the minde,
When Sleepe the Bodies senses fastest binde,
For eu'n in Sleepe, Griefe, Ioy, Feare, Hope, Hate, Loue,
The soules affections wake, and liuely moue.
God often by such Visions tels men plaine,
What things they ought to doe, and what refraine,
Sometimes by Dreames to them are promised
Great Blessings, and great curses threatened:
God oft thus shewes one his determination,
And giues another the interpretation,
Thus vnto me two Dreames by night he told,
Which, as they proue, my Grand-sire did vnfold,
Thus Pharohs Seruants first, and next their King
See things to come, But the interpreting
Was giu'n to me, which done, I told them plaine,
Jnterpreting to God as Dreames pertaine:
60
Yet two yeares to abide in Prison strong?
After I had so well interpreted
His dreame, whom now the King so honored,
But hauing learn'd with Patience to attend
Gods leasure, and to hope vnto the end,
Eu'n at that time, when as I least expected,
So long of Pharohs Cup-bearer neglected,
He that doth all things heere by weight and measure,
On whom they all attend to doe his pleasure,
By one poore Dreame but from an heathen King,
What's long before decreed to passe doth bring:
I rais'd to Grace, the World from Famine quite,
The Butler doth acknowledge his ore-sight:
South sayers weakenesse is discouered,
And God is all in all acknowledged,
My Brethren bold are to Repentance brought
For all the wickednesse, which they had wrought:
And this my wicked Mistris may reclame,
And bring her to acknowledgement with shame,
And make my master see his foolish passion,
And learne to Iudge by better information:
My two first Dreames proue true which I had told,
My Fathers spirit reuiu'd now being old:
Pharoh thus gaines the wealth of all his Land,
And must acknowledge it from Gods owne hand,
Thus all the parts of this sweet sacred story,
Are for mans good, but end all with Gods glory,
All these are now the Consequence and Theames
Of mine, of Pharohs and his seruants Dreames.
See farther heere, Satans Maleuolence,
And mans will freely serue Gods prouidence:
Satan sought by my brethrens Crueltie,
In me to ruine Isaacks Family.
My brethren me of wilfull enuie sould,
And for the twentie siluer peeces told,
The Midian Merchants bought me for their gaine,
And into Egypt meant to fell againe:
God hither sent me Graine heere to prouide,
Else thou and all thy sonnes for want had dide:
Thus Satan sought dishonour of Gods name,
And all for this my Brethren rightly blame,
Goodmen such Merchant's Couetise detest,
That buy and sell Gods Image as a beast:
But God who's only powrefull, good, and wise,
From all these euils makes the Good arise.
And mans will freely serue Gods prouidence:
Satan sought by my brethrens Crueltie,
In me to ruine Isaacks Family.
61
And for the twentie siluer peeces told,
The Midian Merchants bought me for their gaine,
And into Egypt meant to fell againe:
God hither sent me Graine heere to prouide,
Else thou and all thy sonnes for want had dide:
Thus Satan sought dishonour of Gods name,
And all for this my Brethren rightly blame,
Goodmen such Merchant's Couetise detest,
That buy and sell Gods Image as a beast:
But God who's only powrefull, good, and wise,
From all these euils makes the Good arise.
But I thus hauing in great Pharohs grace,
Obtain'd the first, in Realme the second place:
First pray to God me to direct aright,
To vse this fauour and my borrowed Light;
Nor sought I mine owne honour, wealth, and praise,
But his, who did me from the Dungeon raise,
And therefore, first take care for publike good,
Prouiding 'gainst the Future Famine food:
Wherefore, I first through Egypt Circuit ride
And garners great in eu'ry place prouide,
In those seu'n fruitfull yeares to fill with store
Of eu'ry Graine: And sith it is no more
Vertue to purchase, then preserue, no tide
I slipt, but did most carefully prouide,
To kill all Vermine, cut off all excesse
Of Gluttonie, and beastly Drunkennesse:
Abate all needlesse Beasts, Dogges, Mules and Horse,
Ridde idle Rogues and Vagrants, which are worse
Then Catter-pillars to consume the store,
To rob the richest and to sterue the poore:
No Corne out of the Land let I goe out,
But buy in rather from the Coasts about,
And many Forrests which before did ly
All waste, I vnto Tillage did apply:
Thus I proceede, and God so blest my hand,
That all things prosper ouer all the Land.
Obtain'd the first, in Realme the second place:
First pray to God me to direct aright,
To vse this fauour and my borrowed Light;
Nor sought I mine owne honour, wealth, and praise,
But his, who did me from the Dungeon raise,
And therefore, first take care for publike good,
Prouiding 'gainst the Future Famine food:
Wherefore, I first through Egypt Circuit ride
And garners great in eu'ry place prouide,
In those seu'n fruitfull yeares to fill with store
Of eu'ry Graine: And sith it is no more
Vertue to purchase, then preserue, no tide
I slipt, but did most carefully prouide,
To kill all Vermine, cut off all excesse
Of Gluttonie, and beastly Drunkennesse:
Abate all needlesse Beasts, Dogges, Mules and Horse,
Ridde idle Rogues and Vagrants, which are worse
Then Catter-pillars to consume the store,
To rob the richest and to sterue the poore:
No Corne out of the Land let I goe out,
But buy in rather from the Coasts about,
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All waste, I vnto Tillage did apply:
Thus I proceede, and God so blest my hand,
That all things prosper ouer all the Land.
But when the yeares of plentie all are past,
And all the Land of Egypt lyeth waste,
So that they liue of former yeares remaines,
Which them perhaps a month or two sustaines,
The people first of Pharoh seeke supply,
Who them to Ioseph sends; I suddenly
Set ope the Barnes, and sell for money out
The Corne to all the Nations round about.
Now is the time indeed, that I might buy
Castles and Lands for my Posteritie,
But I all money bring to Pharohs hand,
To be the strength, and sinewes of the Land:
If Pharoh will bestow on me a Place,
Or money to buy Land, I of his Grace
Will House and Land, as I my Office hold:
Strangers in purchasing may be too bold.
When all their money's spent with buying bread,
One yeare with Corne I them for Cattell fedde:
But when the next yeare they in neede doe stand,
I will for Corne their Bodies buy and Land,
But all for Pharoh: whereby growing strong,
He and his Empire may continue long:
And to establish more his Segnurie,
From Place to Place I will each Colonie
Transplant, who on the East of Nile abide,
I will remoue vnto the other side:
Thus Pharoh Lord of Egypt shall be knowne,
By Seisin, none shall say this is mine owne.
And all the Land of Egypt lyeth waste,
So that they liue of former yeares remaines,
Which them perhaps a month or two sustaines,
The people first of Pharoh seeke supply,
Who them to Ioseph sends; I suddenly
Set ope the Barnes, and sell for money out
The Corne to all the Nations round about.
Now is the time indeed, that I might buy
Castles and Lands for my Posteritie,
But I all money bring to Pharohs hand,
To be the strength, and sinewes of the Land:
If Pharoh will bestow on me a Place,
Or money to buy Land, I of his Grace
Will House and Land, as I my Office hold:
Strangers in purchasing may be too bold.
When all their money's spent with buying bread,
One yeare with Corne I them for Cattell fedde:
But when the next yeare they in neede doe stand,
I will for Corne their Bodies buy and Land,
But all for Pharoh: whereby growing strong,
He and his Empire may continue long:
And to establish more his Segnurie,
From Place to Place I will each Colonie
Transplant, who on the East of Nile abide,
I will remoue vnto the other side:
Thus Pharoh Lord of Egypt shall be knowne,
By Seisin, none shall say this is mine owne.
Thus haue I seene when Want or Waste compell
A Gallant his Inheritance to sell,
(Lest any right in him should still be thought)
Giue place to him that hath the purchase bought,
And in another Countrie dwelling hire,
Whether he with his houshold may retire.
Thus will I doe with all the Common Lands,
But for the Sacred in the Prophets hands,
To Muses and to Learning dedicate,
Or to Religious vses consecrate,
I thinke it Sacriledge indeed to touch,
Could all by this example learne as much:
And let the Priests their Portions freely eate,
Whose Braines in youth for vnderstanding sweate,
Their age in Prayers and Perswasions spend,
To saue the Good, and wicked to amend.
A Gallant his Inheritance to sell,
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Giue place to him that hath the purchase bought,
And in another Countrie dwelling hire,
Whether he with his houshold may retire.
Thus will I doe with all the Common Lands,
But for the Sacred in the Prophets hands,
To Muses and to Learning dedicate,
Or to Religious vses consecrate,
I thinke it Sacriledge indeed to touch,
Could all by this example learne as much:
And let the Priests their Portions freely eate,
Whose Braines in youth for vnderstanding sweate,
Their age in Prayers and Perswasions spend,
To saue the Good, and wicked to amend.
When I seau'n yeares haue furnisht them with bread,
I in the eighth will furnish them with seede
To sowe their Land, The fifth of whose increase
Shall be the Kings: The other foure in Peace,
They and their Housholds eate: And this shall stand
For euer as a Law in Pharohs Land:
The Priests Lands only shall be euer free,
For to the Lord they consecrated bee.
I in the eighth will furnish them with seede
To sowe their Land, The fifth of whose increase
Shall be the Kings: The other foure in Peace,
They and their Housholds eate: And this shall stand
For euer as a Law in Pharohs Land:
The Priests Lands only shall be euer free,
For to the Lord they consecrated bee.
Now, as I said, when I did Circuit ride,
And Egypts Land suruai'd from side to side:
One thing of greatest vse I did obserue,
Which doth perpetuall memory deserue,
Which, if it once were rightly vnderstood,
Would force all studious of the publique good
To doe, speake, write, of this most rare inuention,
Till to effect they brought what next I mention:
And Egypts Land suruai'd from side to side:
One thing of greatest vse I did obserue,
Which doth perpetuall memory deserue,
Which, if it once were rightly vnderstood,
Would force all studious of the publique good
To doe, speake, write, of this most rare inuention,
Till to effect they brought what next I mention:
A peece of Land an Jstmos, Barre, or stay,
Twixt Midland-Sea, and the Arabian Bay,
Suppos'd some ten Miles ouer at the most,
Adioineth fast vnto th' Egyptian Coast,
Which if one by a Channel did diuide,
Both Seas might each into the other slide.
This if it were once nauigable made,
Would bring, to Kings and people of each trade,
Such wondrous gaine as cannot be expected,
With endlesse fame to those which it effected:
For it would ope an easie way and prest
To saile from Europe, Affricke, Asia-West
Within few daies to the rich Indyes place,
Which hardly now is done in three yeares space:
How might all dwellers on the earth hereby,
Soone be enriched by their Industrie?
When by this Channel Merchants might conuey,
Exchange of Merchandize so neare a way,
Eu'n from the Northerne Iles and Westerne Lands
To China, Ganges, and the Indian Sands.
Twixt Midland-Sea, and the Arabian Bay,
Suppos'd some ten Miles ouer at the most,
Adioineth fast vnto th' Egyptian Coast,
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Both Seas might each into the other slide.
This if it were once nauigable made,
Would bring, to Kings and people of each trade,
Such wondrous gaine as cannot be expected,
With endlesse fame to those which it effected:
For it would ope an easie way and prest
To saile from Europe, Affricke, Asia-West
Within few daies to the rich Indyes place,
Which hardly now is done in three yeares space:
How might all dwellers on the earth hereby,
Soone be enriched by their Industrie?
When by this Channel Merchants might conuey,
Exchange of Merchandize so neare a way,
Eu'n from the Northerne Iles and Westerne Lands
To China, Ganges, and the Indian Sands.
This proiect I to Pharoh did commend,
Intreating him this princely worke t'intend,
But some base mindes, actiue in nought but ill,
Men of acedious spirits, and little skill,
Who are most forward ay to vilisie
All workes of Honour, Art, and Industrie,
Were ready this most noble worke to stay,
Saying a Beare, or Lyon's in the way.
Intreating him this princely worke t'intend,
But some base mindes, actiue in nought but ill,
Men of acedious spirits, and little skill,
Who are most forward ay to vilisie
All workes of Honour, Art, and Industrie,
Were ready this most noble worke to stay,
Saying a Beare, or Lyon's in the way.
This Isthmos, say
they, is ordain'd by fate,
To barre these Seas that they should neuer meete,
But euermore remaine a fatall Damme,
Betwixt them both; and therefore call'd Eedam.
To barre these Seas that they should neuer meete,
But euermore remaine a fatall Damme,
Betwixt them both; and therefore call'd Eedam.
A fancie vaine, which from mistaken name
Some superstitious wisards idely frame,
For 'tis not call'd Eedam, and though it were,
Who for this name would this attempt forbeare?
For Eedam notes in language which they meane,
A firme strong water-course great Bankes between;
So from that name they might more truly gather,
This Isthmos should be a firme current rather.
For waters course; which I more boldly say,
Because not Eedam it, but Eetham ay
Was call'd, and so is still; by which is ment
That with his double side the Seas close pent,
Shall one day haue a Current faire and great,
In which the waues of both those Seas shall meete,
And haue so large a passage, Ships may turne,
As they goe to the Indies or returne.
Some superstitious wisards idely frame,
For 'tis not call'd Eedam, and though it were,
Who for this name would this attempt forbeare?
For Eedam notes in language which they meane,
A firme strong water-course great Bankes between;
65
This Isthmos should be a firme current rather.
For waters course; which I more boldly say,
Because not Eedam it, but Eetham ay
Was call'd, and so is still; by which is ment
That with his double side the Seas close pent,
Shall one day haue a Current faire and great,
In which the waues of both those Seas shall meete,
And haue so large a passage, Ships may turne,
As they goe to the Indies or returne.
And whereas these fantastique men doe dreame,
This to effect impossible doth seeme,
They without reason, selfe-conceited, wise,
Against the publike profit this deuise;
High Mountaines, Rockes of flint haue bin made plaine,
And forc'd to yeeld a passage to the Maine,
Yea who knowes not that far more harder things,
Haue beene effected by the Egyptian Kings,
But neuer any of such Eminence,
Nor any that could bring such recompence
As this; For little labour, cost and paine,
Would to th' whole world bring infinite great gaine.
This to effect impossible doth seeme,
They without reason, selfe-conceited, wise,
Against the publike profit this deuise;
High Mountaines, Rockes of flint haue bin made plaine,
And forc'd to yeeld a passage to the Maine,
Yea who knowes not that far more harder things,
Haue beene effected by the Egyptian Kings,
But neuer any of such Eminence,
Nor any that could bring such recompence
As this; For little labour, cost and paine,
Would to th' whole world bring infinite great gaine.
Another let they tell as fond and vaine,
That if this Barre be cut, th' Arabian Maine
Doth rise so high, his waues would ouer-flow
All th' Egyptian plaines, they ly so low:
But I vpon my view could not descry
Twixt Sea and Land such inequallitie:
But howsoeueuer Earth, stones, and that doth rise
From digging of the Channell, would suffice
To raise Sea walles, for a most strong defence,
Against the waters rage, and violence,
And more secure on either side the shore,
From ouerflowing then it was before,
That if this Barre be cut, th' Arabian Maine
Doth rise so high, his waues would ouer-flow
All th' Egyptian plaines, they ly so low:
But I vpon my view could not descry
Twixt Sea and Land such inequallitie:
But howsoeueuer Earth, stones, and that doth rise
From digging of the Channell, would suffice
To raise Sea walles, for a most strong defence,
Against the waters rage, and violence,
And more secure on either side the shore,
From ouerflowing then it was before,
66
But though I haue small hope to win this Nation,
To cut this shorter course, for Nauigation,
Yet when that King to whose high Scepters sway,
All Nations, will they, nill they, must obey,
Shall rule as well o're Asia 'nd Europes Lands,
As China, India, and Arabian Sands.
Some potent Monarch will himselfe alone,
Or many Princes ioyning all in one,
Will take this Noble enterprize in hand,
And make this shorter passage to each Land,
If not for th' ease and good of Nauigation,
Yet for Gods Gloryes farther propagation,
That so his Words and Wisedomes glorious sound,
May through all Corners of the Earth resound,
This for the publique good I haue made knowne,
In Egypt, as I now to thee haue showne,
Now whilst I for the Publique take such eare,
Pharoh at home a helpe doth me prepare,
A Princes daughter, Egypts ornament,
For whom King Pharoh with her Father sent,
To cut this shorter course, for Nauigation,
Yet when that King to whose high Scepters sway,
All Nations, will they, nill they, must obey,
Shall rule as well o're Asia 'nd Europes Lands,
As China, India, and Arabian Sands.
Some potent Monarch will himselfe alone,
Or many Princes ioyning all in one,
Will take this Noble enterprize in hand,
And make this shorter passage to each Land,
If not for th' ease and good of Nauigation,
Yet for Gods Gloryes farther propagation,
That so his Words and Wisedomes glorious sound,
May through all Corners of the Earth resound,
This for the publique good I haue made knowne,
In Egypt, as I now to thee haue showne,
Now whilst I for the Publique take such eare,
Pharoh at home a helpe doth me prepare,
A Princes daughter, Egypts ornament,
For whom King Pharoh with her Father sent,
And welcomes thus: Great On! who by thy place,
Art to me next, and second in my grace;
Ioseph is first, whose merits to display,
To light a candle were in clearest day:
All Nilus Borders doe resound his fame,
And honour most-deseruedly his name:
Strength, youth, and vigour in his face appeares,
And wisedome in his heart of graiest haires:
His Beauty, as his Vertue hath no paire,
Him would I match with Asenah thine heire,
I know he is a stranger in this place,
And wants Possessions, yet in Pharohs grace,
And he thou know'st deserueth at my hands,
To haue a part in all my Goods and Lands.
Art to me next, and second in my grace;
Ioseph is first, whose merits to display,
To light a candle were in clearest day:
All Nilus Borders doe resound his fame,
And honour most-deseruedly his name:
Strength, youth, and vigour in his face appeares,
And wisedome in his heart of graiest haires:
His Beauty, as his Vertue hath no paire,
Him would I match with Asenah thine heire,
I know he is a stranger in this place,
And wants Possessions, yet in Pharohs grace,
And he thou know'st deserueth at my hands,
To haue a part in all my Goods and Lands.
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The reuerend Priest replyes: Dread Soueraigne,
Lo! all the Place and honour I obtaine
In Egypt, I acknowledge from thy grace:
Which is enough to raise to highest place
The meanest, But thou dost a match propound,
Where Vertues more then honours doe abound:
Amongst the many Fauours thou hast done
Thy Seruant, this I deeme the highest one,
A Priest to be so gracious in thy sight,
To match his Childe with Pharohs Fauorite:
May't please your Grace to aske the maids consent,
But by her lookes, I see shee is content,
Lo! all the Place and honour I obtaine
In Egypt, I acknowledge from thy grace:
Which is enough to raise to highest place
The meanest, But thou dost a match propound,
Where Vertues more then honours doe abound:
Amongst the many Fauours thou hast done
Thy Seruant, this I deeme the highest one,
A Priest to be so gracious in thy sight,
To match his Childe with Pharohs Fauorite:
May't please your Grace to aske the maids consent,
But by her lookes, I see shee is content,
For then her vaile (where modestly she shrouds
Her radiant Rayes, as Sol doth his in clouds)
Put off, such heau'nly Beautie did disclose,
As if another Sunne in Court arose,
Which as the Rising Sunne the Courtiers all
Adore, and like a Queene before her fall:
Her radiant Rayes, as Sol doth his in clouds)
Put off, such heau'nly Beautie did disclose,
As if another Sunne in Court arose,
Which as the Rising Sunne the Courtiers all
Adore, and like a Queene before her fall:
Then Pharoh saith, her taking by the hand,
By silence thy consent we vnderstand,
Good daughter, thou art like thy Parents faire,
As of their Goods, be of their Graces heire:
A fitter match for Ioseph none can find,
If to thy Bodies grace thou suit thy minde,
So, as thine outward Beauties heaun'ly shine,
Thine inward shall b'Angellicall diuine,
Oh! Labour to be glorious within,
So Gods, mans Iosephs fauour thou shalt win.
By silence thy consent we vnderstand,
Good daughter, thou art like thy Parents faire,
As of their Goods, be of their Graces heire:
A fitter match for Ioseph none can find,
If to thy Bodies grace thou suit thy minde,
So, as thine outward Beauties heaun'ly shine,
Thine inward shall b'Angellicall diuine,
Oh! Labour to be glorious within,
So Gods, mans Iosephs fauour thou shalt win.
The King forth with then sends for me in haste,
And first repeating all things as they past,
With his owne hand her giues me for my Bride,
Assuring vs for euer to abide
As louing, as our Fathers naturall:
When humbly I vpon my face did fall,
And first gaue thankes, as dutie did require
To Pharoh, next vnto her holy Sire.
And first repeating all things as they past,
With his owne hand her giues me for my Bride,
Assuring vs for euer to abide
As louing, as our Fathers naturall:
When humbly I vpon my face did fall,
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To Pharoh, next vnto her holy Sire.
As when Garden Adam all alone
Saw Eue, flesh of his flesh, Bone of his Bone,
He her embrac'd, kiss'd and so highly priz'd,
As if all Beautie were epitomiz'd
In his faire Rib, now with the Body met,
(Two Sunnes, which but for sinne had neuer set)
So I, who, though in honour, was alone
In Egypt, till I met my flesh and Bone,
Sweete Asenah, in whose faire eyes and face,
I saw my mother Rachels comely grace;
This Egypts Gem, whose eies I did behold,
Like radiant Diamonds faire set in Gold;
Embrace, kisse, loue her, and her Grace admire,
And set her as the Bound of my desire:
Thinking I now did reape with treble gaine,
The Crop of all my trauell care and paine.
Then in the presence of the Court and King,
I courted her with this speech following.
Saw Eue, flesh of his flesh, Bone of his Bone,
He her embrac'd, kiss'd and so highly priz'd,
As if all Beautie were epitomiz'd
In his faire Rib, now with the Body met,
(Two Sunnes, which but for sinne had neuer set)
So I, who, though in honour, was alone
In Egypt, till I met my flesh and Bone,
Sweete Asenah, in whose faire eyes and face,
I saw my mother Rachels comely grace;
This Egypts Gem, whose eies I did behold,
Like radiant Diamonds faire set in Gold;
Embrace, kisse, loue her, and her Grace admire,
And set her as the Bound of my desire:
Thinking I now did reape with treble gaine,
The Crop of all my trauell care and paine.
Then in the presence of the Court and King,
I courted her with this speech following.
Faire Lady whose high Grace and Beautie seene
To me your seruant, may become a Queene.
Yet art, (such is thine humblenesse) content
To be poore Iosephs: without complement,
I am all yours, nor doe I lesse esteeme
Your worth, because you it so meanely deeme:
Our Sexes duety to your Sexe I know,
Is you to Court intreate and humbly woe,
But since that seruice you to me remit,
I will so much remaine more in your debt.
My time is pretious, therefore let me show
To you in briefe, what Iosephs wife must doe.
It is not this worlds false, vaine glittering glory,
So full of hazard, lubrique, transitorie,
At which I aime: 'Tis an eternall place,
Where we shall liue for ay in blessed case,
Whether the gods, Th' Egyptians wont to serue,
Can neuer bring you: He that will preserue
This Land from Famine by th' interpretation
Of Pharohs Dreames, must bring to this saluation.
One God with Ioseph must his wife adore,
One God one true Religion, and no more:
God iealous is, no Idol-stocke or stone,
May be his Riuall, God, and Truth is one:
These worldly shewes delights and vanitie,
As Mortall with our Mortall Bodies die,
The Pleasures which I speake off ay remaine,
Eternall thus for Temporall we gaine.
This God my Fathers with their wiues haue serued
Who to this day from dangers me preserued,
This God me from the dungeon deepe did raise
To be thy Husband, him for euer praise:
Madame, your King and Father are content,
But your owne mouth must shew your free consent.
When fairest Asenah long silence breakes,
And as an Angell sent from Heau'n thus speakes:
To me your seruant, may become a Queene.
Yet art, (such is thine humblenesse) content
To be poore Iosephs: without complement,
I am all yours, nor doe I lesse esteeme
Your worth, because you it so meanely deeme:
Our Sexes duety to your Sexe I know,
Is you to Court intreate and humbly woe,
But since that seruice you to me remit,
I will so much remaine more in your debt.
My time is pretious, therefore let me show
To you in briefe, what Iosephs wife must doe.
It is not this worlds false, vaine glittering glory,
So full of hazard, lubrique, transitorie,
69
Where we shall liue for ay in blessed case,
Whether the gods, Th' Egyptians wont to serue,
Can neuer bring you: He that will preserue
This Land from Famine by th' interpretation
Of Pharohs Dreames, must bring to this saluation.
One God with Ioseph must his wife adore,
One God one true Religion, and no more:
God iealous is, no Idol-stocke or stone,
May be his Riuall, God, and Truth is one:
These worldly shewes delights and vanitie,
As Mortall with our Mortall Bodies die,
The Pleasures which I speake off ay remaine,
Eternall thus for Temporall we gaine.
This God my Fathers with their wiues haue serued
Who to this day from dangers me preserued,
This God me from the dungeon deepe did raise
To be thy Husband, him for euer praise:
Madame, your King and Father are content,
But your owne mouth must shew your free consent.
When fairest Asenah long silence breakes,
And as an Angell sent from Heau'n thus speakes:
Good sir such is my due and filiall awe,
My Fathers iudgement is to me a Law,
Much more my Soueraignes: But such worth in you
I see and heare of, I should rather sue,
But for my Sexes bashfull modesty,
For such an honour, rather then deny:
Nor shall I meanely of my selfe thus deeme,
To honour him, whom King and Realme esteeme
Their Father, and the Kingdomes Fauourite.
What greater Grace befals a mortall wight?
Sir, that Religion, which my holy Sire
Taught me his child, inform'd my soules desire,
Worlds Glory, Pompe, and vainenesse to despise,
But thy Religion makes men heau'nly wise,
And brings them by an vpright conuersation,
To happy euerlasting habitation.
Therefore as thy Religion our transcends,
As aiming at more high and happy ends,
So greater is my Ioy and happinesse,
To match, where I it truly must professe.
So sure as that (whereof thou didst diuine
By Dreames) shall come to passe, so am I thine:
Thy God shall be my God, and mine thy Nation,
In earth, graue, heau'n one be our habitation:
What thou approu'st as good, the same doe I;
With thee, Sweete Hebrew, let me liue and dye.
Pardon: A womans Tongue knowes no content,
Yea, is enough t'expresse a Maids consent.
My Fathers iudgement is to me a Law,
Much more my Soueraignes: But such worth in you
I see and heare of, I should rather sue,
But for my Sexes bashfull modesty,
For such an honour, rather then deny:
Nor shall I meanely of my selfe thus deeme,
To honour him, whom King and Realme esteeme
Their Father, and the Kingdomes Fauourite.
What greater Grace befals a mortall wight?
Sir, that Religion, which my holy Sire
Taught me his child, inform'd my soules desire,
70
But thy Religion makes men heau'nly wise,
And brings them by an vpright conuersation,
To happy euerlasting habitation.
Therefore as thy Religion our transcends,
As aiming at more high and happy ends,
So greater is my Ioy and happinesse,
To match, where I it truly must professe.
So sure as that (whereof thou didst diuine
By Dreames) shall come to passe, so am I thine:
Thy God shall be my God, and mine thy Nation,
In earth, graue, heau'n one be our habitation:
What thou approu'st as good, the same doe I;
With thee, Sweete Hebrew, let me liue and dye.
Pardon: A womans Tongue knowes no content,
Yea, is enough t'expresse a Maids consent.
Lo thus Hearts, hands, words, wishes, ioin'd in one,
Two by Consent, become one Flesh and Bone.
Two by Consent, become one Flesh and Bone.
Then princely On begins: Lo God hath tide
These two in one, Let no Man them diuide:
Deare Daughter, I to Ioseph thee commit,
Thou therefore must thy Fathers house forget,
And people: so shall sonnes before thee stand,
Fit to beare rule as Princes in the Land:
That God whom Pharoh, On and Ioseph serue,
Who, as he all things made, doth all preserue,
God who of things to come to Pharoh told
By Dreames, which none but Ioseph could vnfold,
When God him from the Dungeon did aduance,
To saue vs by a great Deliuerance,
God Authour sole, and end of happinesse,
This holy Marriage and this Vnion blesse
Of the Egyptian, and the Hebrew Nations;
And make them happy in their Generations,
And honour ay in heau'n our Sou'raigne King,
As he his Seruants honours in this thing.
These two in one, Let no Man them diuide:
Deare Daughter, I to Ioseph thee commit,
Thou therefore must thy Fathers house forget,
And people: so shall sonnes before thee stand,
Fit to beare rule as Princes in the Land:
That God whom Pharoh, On and Ioseph serue,
Who, as he all things made, doth all preserue,
God who of things to come to Pharoh told
By Dreames, which none but Ioseph could vnfold,
When God him from the Dungeon did aduance,
To saue vs by a great Deliuerance,
God Authour sole, and end of happinesse,
This holy Marriage and this Vnion blesse
Of the Egyptian, and the Hebrew Nations;
And make them happy in their Generations,
71
As he his Seruants honours in this thing.
The King thus pleas'd in royall pompe and state
With sumptuous Feasts and showes doth celebrate
Our Marriage day, where all with Musique rings,
And King and Court a happy Hymen sings.
Happy I hope though with an Heathen Dame,
Whose Grace and Vertues I the rather name,
That you may know we here as elsewhere finde,
Some good as well as bad of woman-kind,
As a loose wicked wife of Potiphar,
So a most pious childe of Putiphar:
But why should I time in her praises spend,
Since her owne Workes, her best of all commend,
God me hath giu'n, by her, two louely Boyes,
Before the Famine, which are all my Ioyes:
Lo! here shee kindly comes with all her traine,
Her welcome Father for to entertaine:
For now they all at Iosephs gate arriue,
Where Pharohs Peares, and Seruants all doe striue,
How best their Loues and Seruice shew they may,
To adde more honour to this happy day.
With sumptuous Feasts and showes doth celebrate
Our Marriage day, where all with Musique rings,
And King and Court a happy Hymen sings.
Happy I hope though with an Heathen Dame,
Whose Grace and Vertues I the rather name,
That you may know we here as elsewhere finde,
Some good as well as bad of woman-kind,
As a loose wicked wife of Potiphar,
So a most pious childe of Putiphar:
But why should I time in her praises spend,
Since her owne Workes, her best of all commend,
God me hath giu'n, by her, two louely Boyes,
Before the Famine, which are all my Ioyes:
Lo! here shee kindly comes with all her traine,
Her welcome Father for to entertaine:
For now they all at Iosephs gate arriue,
Where Pharohs Peares, and Seruants all doe striue,
How best their Loues and Seruice shew they may,
To adde more honour to this happy day.
When Asenah, first kneeling downe, begun
Oh holy Father, of a blessed sonne,
Blesse me thy Daughter; Blessed shall they be,
Whom thou dost blesse: As welcome now to me,
As dearest Ioseph to his Fathers sight.
All Egypts glory yeelds not such delight.
Oh holy Father, of a blessed sonne,
Blesse me thy Daughter; Blessed shall they be,
Whom thou dost blesse: As welcome now to me,
As dearest Ioseph to his Fathers sight.
All Egypts glory yeelds not such delight.
When Iacob, Daughter; Fitter 'tis for me,
To your great state, to bow my humble knee,
But rightly you of me a blessing craue,
No other Dower to bestow I haue.
The Lord on thee from Heau'n all Blessings shower:
But Jacobs tongue not hauing farther power,
Now to expresse his Wondrous Ioy and Loue,
His eyes produce abundant Teares to proue
His ioyfull soule, for Iosephs happy state,
When Iosephs Steward tells him it was late
And supper time: Wherefore they all addrest
Themselues, in their due order, to the feast.
To your great state, to bow my humble knee,
But rightly you of me a blessing craue,
No other Dower to bestow I haue.
The Lord on thee from Heau'n all Blessings shower:
But Jacobs tongue not hauing farther power,
72
His eyes produce abundant Teares to proue
His ioyfull soule, for Iosephs happy state,
When Iosephs Steward tells him it was late
And supper time: Wherefore they all addrest
Themselues, in their due order, to the feast.
| Ioseph | |